Not Easily Broken
by Risti
Summary: Some friendships are broken over big things. Some are broken over small things. Still others aren't broken by anything at all, but merely fade away... (Post-Hogwarts, contains the whole trio plus other canon and original characters. WIP.)
1. Prologue

_Though one may be overpowered, _

_two can defend themselves. _

_A cord of three strands is not quickly broken._

July sunbeams floated through the tall windows of the hospital wing of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The brief summer months were always more peaceful then the school year, but the contrast seemed especially sharp this year, even if the student currently resting in the Hospital wing technically hadn't left the school yet. Former student, rather, although he still didn't quite appreciate that fact yet. No, the only thing he was really conscious of was that for the first time in so long, all was well with the world. It was even his birthday.

"Happy eighteenth birthday Harry!" Hermione said with a smile as she handed him a brightly wrapped gift.

"It's from both of us, mate," Ron added, unconsciously grabbing the hand of his girlfriend as he spoke.

Harry grinned widely, his eyes twinkling as he felt the package. "Both of you, eh? Couldn't you have talked Hermione out of a book for once?" He said with a pointed look at his friend.

"Oh, just open it, Harry."

Harry turned to look at girl who had opted to sit at the foot of his bed rather than in one of the chairs beside it. "Is this from you too, Ginny?" he asked, even as he started to open it.

"No, I'll… I'll give you my gift later." There was a tinge of pink staining her freckled cheeks, and for a moment Harry stopped unwrapping the present in his hands, fascinated by the present promised in her eyes.

"Harry Potter, are you _dating_ MY SISTER?"

Harry broke away from his stare for a moment at the sound of Ron's indignant squawk, turning red himself, before looking back at Ginny, nervously. "I think I might be." When she smiled back at him with a slight nod of her head, Harry forgot all about the still mostly wrapped gift sitting in his lap until he heard Hermione clearing her throat loudly. When he turned to her, the grip she had on Ron's hand seemed to have strengthened considerably.

"The sooner you open that gift the sooner we'll leave you two alone, then," Hermione said with a smirk. Ron fidgeted beside her, and Harry raised his eyebrows in question as Hermione nudged him.

"You do realize that if you break her heart, I'll break your head."

"Ron!" Hermione and Ginny both gasped at the same time.

Harry just grinned, and turned his attention back to the neglected gift. A few moments later, he was opening up a leather bound book. After glancing at the first page, he looked up at Ron. "A picture book. You _must_ have helped to pick this out."

It was Ron's turn then to blush, as Hermione laughed. "It's a photo album, not a picture book, Harry," she stated obviously.

Harry rolled his eyes. "I know, Hermione." The photo looking waving back at him showed all three of them smiling and waving in the Gryffindor common room as first years, the house cup sitting on the table in front of them. Harry tilted the book so that Ginny could see, but after a few awkward moments ended up shifting to the side so she could sit next to him. Avoiding looking at Ron, he lifted up his arm to rest it lightly around her shoulders, a foolish grin back on his face as she snuggled closer.

For a little while, all four of them looked at the snapshots of their youth, until Harry flipped a page only to discover the next one was blank. A quick search revealed that the second half of the book was indeed filled with nothing but empty black pages. He turned questioningly to Ron and Hermione.

"The rest of the book is for you to fill, over the next few years," she explained.

Harry nodded. He was sure the album would be full in no time. Closing it, he put it on the table beside his bed. "Thanks, both of you. I love it." Hermione beamed, but Ron just shrugged.

"Glad you like it Harry. Say, did you hear about the Canon's first match – Ouch!" Ron exclaimed as Hermione slapped the back of his head.

"We're going for a walk now. You and Harry can talk Quidditch _later_."

Ron grumbled, but stood when Hermione did, taking a step closer to the hospital bed. Harry gulped, but Ron just shook his head and smiled. "It's about time," he said in a low tone.

Ginny stirred a bit as the door clicked shut. "I'll just go grab my present," she said, but Harry's arm around her shoulder tightened.

"Later," he said, his voice sounding closer to her ear than it had earlier. "If this walk is anything like the ones they used to take, we have plenty of time, but I've waited almost two months to do this again." Knowing exactly what Harry meant, Ginny turned her head and waited for his lips to brush hers. She wasn't disappointed.

Later eventually came, and when Ginny crossed the room to where her bag sat, she caught a glimpse of Ron and Hermione still strolling down beside the lake. She took a moment to bask in the warmth radiating from the window. Really, they had all the time in the world.


	2. Chapter 1

_30 years later…_

The cluster of witches and wizards of varying ages that gathered in front of Flourish and Blott's on the morning of the last day of July could hardly be termed a crowd, and she knew it. There was no doubt the street was crowded – crowded enough that most people paid no notice to the dozen or so people who were simply standing there, rather than rushing in or rushing by. Those who did pay them notice quickly turned away when they noticed the woman who seemed to be gathering them together. No, there was no way she could imagine this group to be the crowd she had been hoping for.

The wind was blowing the pieces of her salt and pepper hair that weren't pulled back into a loose knot in every which direction. She hadn't worn robes in years, but the floral blouse which had once been loose and flowing clung only partially due to sweat in odd areas, and had a neckline which highlighted her sagging cleavage. A worn denim skirt barely reached her knees, and the bright pink scarf tied around her waist only accentuated her hips. The outfit might have seemed more impressive twenty five years earlier, but then, so would the person wearing it. Her face looked tired as she squinted from the sun and scanned the group in front of her.

"Darvin? Are Eddie and Nadine coming out today?"

"Eddie said he'll try to stop by later, but the twins are down with the measles, so Nadine has to stay with them. They're both hoping to make it to the Ministry next week, though."

"Good. We'll need everyone out then. Sarah? Anymore of your group coming?"

The blond shook her head. She too was in muggle clothes, although her tee read _Ask me to see your wand and I'll show you mine!_ "I think this is everyone for today, Hermione. Unfortunately, not everyone in the group sees the connection between monopolistic capitalism and the patriarchy that rules our society."

Hermione considered the bright, passionate young witch in front of her for a moment after taking in that statement. _Give her twenty years in this close minded place and she'll be as big a cynic as I am._ At this thought, she threw a disappointed glare across the ragtag crowd in front of her. A few of them stood up straighter, one or two of them took a step back, their eyes showing their confusion, but the rest weren't fazed at all. It was that that snapped Hermione's mind back to the task at hand, as it was that sort of apathy that was rotting away the wizarding world from the inside out. But it wasn't too late to stop it.

"Why did you come here today?" Her booming question was directed at the whole group, but she didn't wait for an answer. "Why should we spend an afternoon standing here sweltering on one of the hottest days of the year?"

"To protest?" A hesitant voice took advantage of the pause to answer.

"To protest? Are you sure about that?" Hermione raved in the direction of where the voice had come from. "To protest what? Witches rights? Equal treatment for all magical creatures? The new wave of pureblood supremacy?" Picking up a newspaper, she waved it around frantically. "The Daily Prophet called us nothing more than a small group of disaffected who cling to a different overblown grievance every week because we can't find a way to contribute to society. Is that why you're here? Because you can't conform and you have nothing better to do?"

Paper still in hand, Hermione gestured widely, including the whole group. "Look at us! Are we the only thing that stands between the entire wizarding society continuing in its system of oppression?" Her voice cracked in desperation, and for a moment it looked as if Hermione Granger, leader of the modern magical civil rights movement, was about to back down from a fight. "Do you think that twenty people can actually make a difference?"

"Yes, they can," a new voice spoke up confidently. Hermione spun around, and was greeted by the sight of a cavalry in the form of two dozen energetic teenagers. Their leader was a brunette who greeted Hermione with a warm smile, before stepping up to address the group which had now more than doubled in size. "Less than two dozen so-called _pureblooded_ families control our entire society. They run the Ministry. They own Diagon Alley. They're buying out the goblins at an exponentially growing rate every year. They sit on the Hogwarts Board, and now they're trying to rob their own future before we even leave school!"

This last line brought cheers of agreement from the students who had just arrived.

"No way! We won't pay!" A teenage boy who couldn't have been more than fourteen shouted, pumping his fist in the air.

"Every year Hogwarts requires us to buy new textbooks. Every year Flourish and Blotts comes out with a _new edition_ of the textbooks we need. Every year they raise their prices!" She was wasn't just addressing their group anymore, but was walking around as she spoke so that anyone in the area could hear her. "Why? Because we let them! Because for hundreds of years, we have refused to demand other alternatives! It's time to demand a change!"

Hermione couldn't help but notice that the passing crowds who had ignored her and her group earlier were now stopping two or three at a time to listen to this young witch. Amoung them was a sturdy black haired witch, whose eyes lit up when she saw the vocal brunette, dragging another slender, but taller witch by the witch. The other girl, who had seemed hesitant at best earlier, came to a complete halt when she saw where her friend was leading her. Twenty feet away, Hermione was frozen in shock as well.

"Gloria, Gloria, I brought Joan with me!" Hermione heard the shorter witch tell her dorm mate as she closed the distance between them. The girl's smile faltered, however, when she noticed she was now standing alone.

"I though you said we were coming to Diagon Alley to buy our schoolbooks, Prudence." The hope that had been building inside Hermione crashed as Joan spoke. _She doesn't want to be here._

"I told you we were coming to Diagon Alley to _take care of our book list_." Her grin came back full force then as she revealed her cleverness.

Hermione watched as Joan looked back and forth between Prudence and her. _She won't meet my eyes_, Hermione observed, sadly. Joan's frown deepened. "It's funny, I could have sworn the Sorting Hat put both of us in Gryffindor five years ago, but you sounded exactly like a _Slytherin_ there for a moment."

"You want to talk about house pride, Joan?" Gloria spat out. "When you're about to refuse to stand up and fight for your rights _again_? Some Gryffindor you are."

"I know what I believe, but I refuse to be swept up in an embarrassment of a movement that's causing more problems then it is solving." Joan's words were directed at Gloria, but her gaze was set on Hermione. For a moment, all four women were silent, aware of the various audiences surrounding them.

"Joan…" Hermione started, reaching out a hand as if to rest it on her arm. She stopped herself, though, shaking her head. _I promised both of them I wouldn't push her. _ Still, Hermione felt she had to say something, but as she started, Joan stopped her.

"Don't waste your breath. I've heard all _your_ arguments before, heard Gloria here quote your book in the evenings until she's blue in the face, and heard _Dad_ point out all the flaws and inconsistencies with the logic behind it."

"Nick told you…" Hermione trailed off, truly speechless this time.

"Yes, even your muggle ex-husband can see the flaws in your proposal for wizarding social reform. Now, if you don't mind, _I_ have books to buy. I am starting six NEWT classes this fall, after all." Joan paused, and Hermione watched as she turned away from her to look back at her friend. "Prudence?"

"I… I'm going to stay out here," she said hesitantly, taking a step backwards to join the throng of other students who had been pulling out signs and banners while their conversation had been going on. Gloria smiled, and gave her a friendly side hug. For a brief moment, Hermione caught a glimpse of hurt and betrayal in Joan's eyes. Then her only daughter walked quickly into the doors of the bookstore, without looking back.

Gloria looked disgustedly in the direction of the door Joan was now walking through, and then back at Hermione. As she opened her mouth, however, Hermione quickly spoke up.

"The issues between my daughter and I are complicated and go beyond the ones we're here to fight, Gloria. I won't go into them, for Joan's sake, but don't be too quick to judge her."

Gloria looked like she still wanted to say something, but she was young enough still to submit to a respected authority figure, Gryffindor-nature notwithstanding. "I do have something else I need to talk with you about, Hermione. It's why we were late in getting here today. Something you need to hear."

Hermione nodded, and motioned towards the group, who almost all held signs, banners, or a handful of pamphlets. She noticed someone had passed out buttons. "Later," she promised. "Right now, we have to get this group organized before half of Britain finishes their shopping for the day."


End file.
